Also at the national level, there is a need to review all educational policies and legislations pertaining to education to ensure that they incorporate the educational needs of children and adults with disabilities—including accessibility of the school environment, teaching methods, learning materials, delivery methods, and trained teachers.
Rule 7. EmploymentIn order to ensure the integration of persons with disabilities within the labour market, governments are required to take nine (9) actions to implement Rule 7 regarding the right to work for persons with disabilities.
Responses to the Survey revealed that the right to employment is neither fully recognized nor is it considered a priority.
Seventeen countries responded that they have taken no measures with regard to this rule.24In terms of the recognition of the right of persons with disabilities to employment, 47 countries have taken no action in the area of adoption of policies; while 43 countries have not taken any action on legislations. With regard to the implementation of measures and programmes to ensure integrated employment for persons with disabilities25, the following table paints a bleak picture:

59 countries no action to raise the awareness of management regarding the needs of persons with disabilities

83 countries no action on accessible transportation or work stations for persons with disabilities

57 countries no action on cooperating with disabled persons organizations with regard to employment

These figures indicate a serious lack. It is obvious that these measures are necessary in order to shape the positive legal, cultural, attitudinal and physical environment that would enable persons with disabilities to participate in the labour market as productive, contributing citizens. Moreover, gainful employment and a productive life are a source of dignity for all persons and a necessity for psychological well being and social adjustment. The figures above go a long way in explaining why persons with disabilities are not visible in the labour market and remain, throughout the world, economically marginalized.

T1-Rule 7

Actions government has taken to encourage the integration of persons w/ disabilities into open employment.

Modifying and adapting the physical, social and administrative environment.

69

45

0

Raising awareness among management and administration on disability issues.

51

63

0

Providing accessible transportation and work station

83

31

0

Cooperating with organizations of persons w/ disabilities on all measures relating to the labour market

57

56

1

With respect to hiring and promotion of persons with disabilities more than half the countries responding to the questionnaire stated that persons with disabilities do not have the same opportunities or prospects as non-disabled persons.
Considering the opportunities available to persons with disabilities in the areas of hiring, promotion, pay increases, training and skills upgrading, only 51 countries reported that persons with disabilities have the same prospects as others in terms of being hired. This number increases only slightly to 57 when it comes to the chances of persons with disabilities already employed of being promoted. While 62 and 63 countries, respectively, indicated that persons with disabilities have the same chances of receiving pay increases and enrolling in training programmes; and 64 countries indicated that persons with disabilities are entitled to work benefits.

T2-Rule 7

Do persons w/ disabilities have same prospects as others with regard to

No

Yes

N/A

Hiring

59

51

4

Promotion

54

57

3

Work benefits

47

64

3

Pay increases

49

62

3

Participation in training programmes

48

63

3

Considering the under-representation of persons with disabilities in the labour market, even those who are employed are not always entitled to the same privileges as non-disabled persons.
This indicates that discrimination is still a major problem for persons with disabilities with regard to employment. Considering that education and gainful employment are a recognized source of dignity for all people, the Survey has shown that for persons with disabilities those two conditions are in very short supply worldwide regardless whether countries are developed or developing.
There is a need for new and innovative ways to fulfill the rights of persons with disabilities in those areas, and that despite the conventions, covenants and treaties that guarantee the right to education and employment—and most recently the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities—there has not been full recognition of those rights in practice and not enough has been done to enforce their implementation.

Rule 8. Income Maintenance and Social Security

Rule 8 calls upon countries to ensure social security and maintain the income of persons with disabilities. The measures required leading to full realization range from the adoption of policies to consulting with the organizations of persons with disabilities.

The state of the world, as revealed by the Survey, shows that less than half the countries that responded have taken some action of this matter, while more than half have taken no action on the provision of income maintenance for persons with disability.
T1-Rule 8

Actions government has taken to ensure income maintenance and support for persons w/ disabilities

No

Yes

N/A

Adopting policies

57

56

1

Passing legislations

67

47

0

Adopting programmes

60

53

1

Allocating financial resources

51

62

1

Providing persons w/ disabilities with info on income maintenance

61

52

1

Consulting organizations of persons w/ disabilities

60

53

1

The survey asked about 10 categories of persons with disabilities who are entitled to the provision of income and social security26, ranging from people with temporary disabilities to persons with disabilities from all walks of life, socio-economic classes and ethnic and religious backgrounds. Responses revealed that more than half the countries that responded lack a comprehensive scheme for maintaining income and providing social security for persons with disabilities regardless of the category they fall in—this is true at the levels of policy, legislation, programmes and implementation.

These responses, along with those on education and employment reveal that persons with disabilities across the board and the world over are economically marginalized and explains why persons with disabilities are the poorest of poor.
When income maintenance and social security are examined in relation to the categories of persons with disabilities, the number of countries that have taken no action is even higher, thus indicating several layers of discrimination:

It is difficult to know whether governments do not view income maintenance as a priority for persons with disabilities because of the lack of resources, or because there is simply no recognition of their part that income and social security are necessary to maintain a certain standard of self-reliance and dignity for persons with disabilities, or because the financial support of persons with disabilities is considered the responsibility of their families rather than society at large or the government in particular.

Whatever the reason for this shortcoming, it is important to raise awareness at all levels of the need to support persons with disabilities financially. In the case of the absence of resources, governments at all levels need to recognize that the concept of equalization of opportunities means that people with disabilities need to maintain a standard of living compatible to the general standard enjoyed by the community in which they live. Providing them with an income and social security is not meant to elevate persons with disabilities above the level of their community, but rather to allow them to live within their communities with a degree of dignity.
In considering the responses to Rule 8, one of the most controversial was the number of governments that do not provide social security and income to persons who have become disabled as the result of an on-the-job accident or a work-related injury. The fact that 80 out of 114 countries responded negatively to this question is requires further investigation and research, especially when some of those are highly industrialized countries.27Additionally, on the question of income maintenance for families and care-givers of persons with disabilities, there seems to be little recognition of the loss of income that care givers of persons with disabilities suffer, and therefore, the economic burden on the family. If governments consider persons with disabilities the sole responsibility of their families financially, then they are not doing much to support those families in providing care.
Often caring for a family member with a disability—particularly in the absence of adequate services outside the home—will deprive one, and at times, two members of the family from earning an income or acquiring an education, thereby further impoverishing the family. Research has shown that along with persons with disabilities, the families of persons with disabilities also live in poverty below that of their communities.
Rule 9. Family Life and Personal IntegrityIn Rule 9 governments are called upon to promote and protect the right of persons with disabilities to their personal integrity, including their right to marriage, parenthood, family and sexual relations. This may be the most difficult rule to assess, perhaps due to the difficulty in regulating and legislating the personal lives of people. However, it is important to remember that family life is crucial to the psychological well being of every person. It is even more so for persons with disabilities who require the supportive presence of family. This Rule also makes the link between family life and personal integrity.
It goes without saying that most people live in families, and in some cultures it is unheard of for people to live away from their families before they have formed families of their own. And even then, the family remains the basic and primary social unit. Additionally, in many countries, family life and personal status laws are governed not by mainstream civil policies and legislations, but by religious laws or tradition. In all cases, family life, in all its aspects, is a right, and as necessary to persons with disabilities as it is to non-disabled persons. Any deprivation of this right is considered a violation which must be redressed.
Actions pertaining to this rule range from adopting policies to involving and consulting with disabled persons organizations.28 On all eight (8) measures, 69 countries indicated that they have taken no actions to implement provisions of Rule 929.

T1-Rule9

Action government has taken to ensure full participation of persons w/disabilities in family life, & protecting & promoting rights & personal integrity

When it came to involving and consulting with persons with disabilities 55 out of 114 countries stated that they have taken no action.

This may be attributed to one or more factors, among which is that personal life cannot be regulated by the state and people, at the personal level people will do what they will without seeking government approval or permission.

A second factor, closely related, may be the reluctance on the part of the state to regulate people’s personal lives. One possible explanation may be that governments consider such matters personal and dependent on the persons themselves.

Rule 10. Culture

In the same way that persons with disabilities have been marginalized from most social participation due to shame, lack of accessibility, discrimination and any number of other factors, they have also been excluded from participation in cultural life. Therefore, Rule 10 of the Standard Rules elaborated 11 measures that governments ought to take to ensure integration of persons with disabilities into cultural life in accordance with their commitment to equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities. The first three (3) measures have to do with stating the right to cultural participation, and the remaining eight (8) are aimed at implementation of the Rule.30

Responses revealed that of the 114 countries that responded to the Survey, a large number have taken no action on all 11 measures. Participation in cultural life for persons with disabilities does not seem to be a priority for most countries. This may stem from factors similar to provisions on Family Life, in that governments are reluctant to regulate matters of culture, preferring to leave it up to individual preference.